Basketball, Serie A: Napoli-Brescia 69-72

Della Valle’s and Cournooh’s free throws allow Germani to conquer Palabarbuto (69-72) at the end of a match that seemed closed in the 27th minute (37-55) and which Gevi then reopened in a frantic final. Brescia virtually outside the hot zone, where Pancotto’s team remains bogged down. Aggressive defenses and intensity distinguish a balanced start to the match, then Brescia breaks (9-1) on the Della Valle-Odiase axis and flies to 9-17 in the 8th minute. Gevi tries to shake herself off, finds an important triple with Dellosto and then impacts with Young (19-19 to 11), who first puts in a basket from 8 meters on the buzzer of the 1st quarter, and then repeats himself on the first attack of the 2nd ‘. The American from Naples, who started off the bench after 6’ in Trento, seems decidedly inspired, but Germani is very long: in the 17th minute Gabriel loses to an injury but catches Burns and Akele on the back of the bench who bring her back six ahead (28 -34).

Shooting

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Gevi tries to stay hooked on the game, but at the start of the second half the hosts’ attack stops again and so the guests can escape with Della Valle who scores the 35-50 basket in the 27th minute. Immediate time out for Pancotto, but the team comes out badly and so Brescia can bring its maximum advantage to +18 (37-55). It looks like the knockout blow, and instead a proud jolt from Williams brings Napoli back to -11 in the 32nd minute (44-55): here Michineau and Howard miss two chances to reopen the match which however comes back alive with 1’48 to go with Wimbush who scores 7 points in a row for 61-66. A minute later it’s 63-67, at 24″ Odiase makes 1/2 from the line and so it’s still Wimbush to close a 4-point game that’s worth 67-68 with 14″ to play. Della Valle’s free players decide it (23), it ends 69-72.

Naples: Wimbush 23, Young 14, Williams 14

Brescia: Della Valle 23, Odiase 16, Moss 8